A (1) O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I should not be despised.

B (2) I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother’s house, who would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the juice of my pomegranate.

C (3,4) His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should embrace me. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love <0160>, until he please.

D (5) Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there brought thee forth:

E (5) thy mother

D1 (5) there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

C1 (6) Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love <0160> is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

B1 (7) Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

A1 (8) We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?

Note: Order for DED1 follows Hebrew.(Nigel)